


Category Definitions - House "What-If" Rec List project

by lit_luminary, resourceress7



Series: The House "What-If" Rec List Project [1]
Category: House M.D.
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, House M.D. recommended fanfic, M/M, Multi, Other, Rec list
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-12
Updated: 2013-07-12
Packaged: 2019-09-06 05:27:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16826068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lit_luminary/pseuds/lit_luminary, https://archiveofourown.org/users/resourceress7/pseuds/resourceress7
Summary: On theHouse "What-If" Rec Listwe share some of our favorite House, M.D. fics, 'verses, and authors that form a genre we call "What-If." Stories range from wildly fantastical to essentially realistic, but all depart significantly from canon reality.In our review of the literature, several categories presented themselves:After Death/AfterlifeAllegoryAlternate GovernanceAlternate Personal HistoryAlternate Time PeriodAlternate World HistoryAmnesiac OdysseyCreatures/Mythical BeingsCrossover ElementsDeity ChatHuman VariationLife-Altering EventsMagical RealismParallel UniversePowersRecovery FicScience FictionTransmogrificationWishful ThinkingHere are the definitions of those categories that guided us in selecting over 100 high-caliber works for the rec list.





	Category Definitions - House "What-If" Rec List project

# What-Iffy Category Definitions

On the [House "What-If" Rec List](http://house-what-if.livejournal.com/990.html) we share some of our favorite House, M.D. fics, 'verses, and authors that form a genre we call "What-If." Stories range from wildly fantastical to essentially realistic, but all depart significantly from canon reality.

Here are the definitions of the categories we used to classify each fic.

See also: Definitions of our [Rec Reasons](http://house-what-if.livejournal.com/2472.html). 

* * *

  


  
**After Death/Afterlife**   

  
    Dead character can interact with a live one — as a ghost, in dreams/unconscious, etc. Or, a character experiences life on another plane after (or near) his own death.
  
  
**Allegory**   

  
    "Hey! _I_ do the metaphors." —House in 2x12 'Distractions'
  
  
**Alternate Governance**   

  
    Modern America has slaves, theocracy, totalitarian state, etc.
  
  
**Alternate Personal History**   

  
    Canon character with a different past. Or, character chose a different path or profession than in canon — and thus never became our canon character at all.
  
  
**Alternate Time Period**   

  
    Takes place in a different era.
  
  
**Alternate World History**   

  
    Things turned out a bit (or a lot) differently than we're used to — crops, foods, customs, exports/imports, costs, transportation, technology, population, country/colony, etc.
  
  
**Amnesiac Odyssey**   

  
    Amnesia stories where a character must build a life for himself based on whatever he has to go on.
  
  
**Apocalypse**   

  
    How our heroes cope, post- (or during) apocalypse. Can be more realistic (e.g., epidemic, bomb) or horror (e.g., zombies, creature invasion).
  
  
**Creatures/Mythical Beings**   

  
    Story includes entities such as vampires, mermaids, werewolves, and so on.
  
  
**Crossover Elements**   

  
    Crossover with, or draws concepts from, another fandom or fic 'verse — usually one with supernatural/what-iffy elements in its canon.
  
  
**Deity Chat**   

  
    Character talks with a deity, the devil, or some other kind of supreme being. Some of these are also Wishful Thinking fics.
  
  
**Human Variation**   

  
    Some people naturally have wings or a tail, for example. Also applies to 'verses where all humans are somehow biologically different than in our reality.
  
  
**Life-Altering Events**   

  
    …with profound consequences. Contractverse, brainwashing, serious injury, disability, etc. Many of these are also Recovery Fics.
  
  
**Magical Realism**   

  
    Magic happens in a very recognizable context. In some stories, this may include overt manifestation of religious, mystic and/or folkloric elements.  
Type 1: Magic is real and/or normal in this 'verse, not crack.  
Type 2: Magic happens as a plot device ("She put a spell on me — but that's impossible!")
  
  
**Parallel Universe**   

  
    Character enters an alternate universe, or deduces that there is one. Can be an original AU, or an existing fic 'verse/fanon.
  
  
**Powers**   

  
    Superpowers, prophetic dreams, etc. Can be acquired or inherent.
  
  
**Recovery Fic**   

  
    Chronicles healing in the aftermath of a life-altering event, usually involving serious injury or psychological trauma.
  
  
**Science Fiction**   

  
    More classic sci-fi elements — character as an android, space travel/aliens, time travel, etc.
  
  
**Transmogrification**   

  
    Turned into a ___ (kid, animal, vampire, etc.). Also includes bodyswap and genderswap.
  
  
**Wishful Thinking**   

  
    Wish I'd never been born/met House/had muscles removed; wish my best friend weren't dying. Character tries to alter the past to change his present, or makes a deal to change the future.
  



End file.
